


To be or not to be?

by projectml, TheParlourPoet



Series: Project: Bug-A-Boo [10]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Halloween, project bugabOO
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2016-10-31
Packaged: 2018-09-15 13:44:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9237608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/projectml/pseuds/projectml, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheParlourPoet/pseuds/TheParlourPoet
Summary: Halloween is a part of something old, ancient in fact; and Tikki just happens to recall a secret or two. Including how to see your future husband, much to Marinette’s initial delight.





	

Marinette bit her lip in concentration, black hair falling into her eyes as her sewing machine whirled and chuted. Black fabric running through the contraption at high speed, her hands guiding it with expert precision. She just had to get this costume finished. Marinette had taken so long on the hat she had completely forgotten about the cloak! As much as she loved it, Halloween could be one busy period. Costumes, sweets, mum and dad had been busy nonstop selling sweet cakes and caramel shortbread for those with a sweet tooth, and of course, there were the parties.

For once, she had one to go too that she actually wanted to attend! Not another one of Chloe’s Princess parties. Lifting her foot off of the pedal and letting the machine whirl to a halt, Marinette recalled that party shaking her head to side slowly in recollection, and it had been just awful. She had turned up as a zombie of all things, a little this and that for some fake blood and she was set, she hadn’t been in the house a minute when Chloe had screamed and complained that the blood was going to wreck her clothes and costume; at least her father had sent her back in a taxi.

Letting a laugh escape her lips, Marinette shook her head and pushed herself away from the desk, “Nope, no Chloe today, just me, Alya, Nino and Adrien.”

“I thought Nino invited everyone Marinette?” Tikki chimed in, floating over from the bed on which she had been reading the news on Marinette’s phone.

“Well yeah,” Marinette conceded, shrugging slightly, “But I doubt she will come. It is Nino’s party after all, and she hates to be upstaged.”

“But if she does?” Tikki smirked, landing on the desk besides a pile of spare material.

Marinette just stared at the Kwami for a moment, “Please Tikki, don’t scare me,” she grinned.

“But it’s Halloween!” she teased, rolling her head back playfully and waving her arms forward in some sort of clawing motion. “It is supposed to be scary!”

Marinette burst into laughter at the sight of her friend moving in such a ridiculous fashion, “Oh Tikki, you’re many things, but scary is not one of them.”

“You should see me without cookies; ask Plagg.” Tikki countered unusually confident. 

“Who?” Marinette continued, perplexed by the name.

“No one” Tikki retorted quickly, straightening up, “So…. Is the costume done?” she added, clearly keen to change the topic.

Marinette bit her lip in thought for a moment; Tikki had mentioned that name before, always in passing and always like an old friend. Maybe he was another Kwami or a previous Miraculous holder? But who would have such a ridiculous name as Plagg? She wouldn’t even call a cat Plagg! Deciding to inquire later, Marinette nodded, “I think so Tikki. It has taken me forever and a day, but yes, it’s done.”

“Well then put it on! I want to see my Witch!” Tikki exclaimed, clapping her hands together resembling every inch a small, overjoyed child.

Marinette grinned and grabbed the material in one swift motion, she wanted to try it on herself, just to make sure everything was just right. Walking across her bedroom floor, robes in hand, Marinette stopped in the middle of the room and threw the robes overhead and on. The black material cascaded down her athletic frame and shimmered in the light of her room, adding an extra level of awe to the costume. It had actually been the reason Marinette had chosen this material in the first place. Adjusting the robe a little, Marinette nodded to herself. It felt comfortable, the sleeves were right and the hem of the robes wasn’t too low. Now for the cloak.

“Tikki, do you mind, please?” Marinette pointed to the obsidian cloak that lay near her work desk.

The red Kwami nodded and floated to the cloak, lifting it up by its edges and flying back to Marinette, her playful grin now even wider than before. Draping the cloak over Marinette’s shoulders, Tikki backed off and examined the outfit even as Marinette tied the cloak about her shoulders with a clasp she had ordered online; it was a little silver sparrow. She wasn’t sure why she had picked it.

Reaching for the hat, Marinette paused as Tikki spoke up, “Marinette, I think you should try it with your hair down.”

Marinette turned to face the Kwami, “Huh, why?” as she looked at Tikki something didn’t look right, Tikki seemed distant, her gaze distant,

Tikki gave a small smile, “How many witches have pig tails Marinette!”

“Well i don’t know…” she began before pausing, “Okay, lets try it with my hair down.”

Tikki clapped her hands together, “yay!”

Tikki seemed excited, but that distant look never left Tikki’s eyes, and though her first instinct was to worry about her friend, the look, distant or not, did not look sad. In fact, she had seen it before, that distant look, when her Mum and Dad would talk about their wedding day. They had that same look, distant, lost, but happy. But what could Tikki be remembering so suddenly?

“Marinette?” it was Tikki’s voice.

Marinette half jumped, “Sorry Tikki, world of my own.” Quickly, she pulled her pigtails loose and ran her fingers through her hair; if she was going to do this for the party tonight, she was going to have to brush her hair forever. Giving up on making it any neater, Marinette strolled towards her work desk and grabbed the tip of her Witches’ hat. Promptly placing it up her head, adjusting her fringe in her mirror as she did so.

“Well, Tikki,” Marinette began with a twirl towards her friend, “How do I look?” 

At first Tikki didn’t respond, she just stared at her, her eyes now wells of melancholy. “You look magical,” Tikki finally managed, her words far more strained than normal. “You definitely look the part.”

“Marinette strode towards the Kwami, “Tikki, what’swrong?” concern clear in her voice and her hands raised to catch the Kwami in them.

With a plop, Tikki dropped into her hands and placed her own hands on the edge of her feet, swaying them side to side. “It’s nothing Marinette, I…”

“If something is bothering you, you can talk to me,” Marinette began slowly, “You would do the same for me,” she added innocently.

Tikki looked up at Marinette, her celestial eyes wide “Okay Marinette,” she nodded, “you remind me of someone I use to know a long time ago, a very long time ago.

Marinette remained silent for a moment; Tikki had never talked about her past before, not since that vague and brief mention after her battle with the Pharaoh. Walking to her desk, Marinette sat down in her chair and placed Tikki beside her sewing equipment. “Tell me about them?” her voice only marginally above begging.

Tikki shuffled her feet nervously, “Well Marinette, it was a long time ago. I think, of now, six? No, seven hundred years ago. Yeah seven hundred years.”

“Wow,” Marinette interrupted.

“Yeah, you forget how much you see when you just, well, keep on going, I guess. But anyway, her name was Joan, her eyes were just like yours.”

“Blue?”

“Beautiful, you silly,” Tikki beamed, growing more comfortable with each word she spoke, “She was taller than you, even at your age, and thinner, her hair was blonde as well, but she was so lovely, she talked to anyone and she just loved animals, especially squirrels.”

“Really? Squirrels?” Marinette wondered, perplexed.

“She adored their curiosity, she always said people were either never curious or too curious. People would go their whole lives never wondering, why?”

“And the others?” Marinette chimed in, leaning down closer to Tikki.

“Too curious, they never let anyone have any space. No secrets, no privacy, they were…”

“Rude?” Marinette interrupted.

“Dangerous,” Tikki corrected her. She sighed, “The world was very different back then, people were more suspicious, easily scared and, well,” she stopped.

“Well what?” Marinette whispered.

Tikki considered her words carefully, “Well,” she began slowly, “in a way, people weren’t just more easily scared; they had a lot more to be scared of.”

“I don’t understand,”

Tikki smiled, “Well, why do you think I said you remind me of her?”

“You said we had the same eyes? Didn’t you?”

“I did,” Tikki admitted, “but that wasn’t it, it was the outfit.” With a hand, Tikki indicated the witches costume.

Marinette looked down at her costume for a moment, “She liked to dress up as a witch too?”

Tikki burst into laughter, “Oh Marinette, no, no,” she continued to laugh for a moment longer, “Marinette, Joan was a witch.”

“But magic isn’t real!?” Marinette instinctively responded, her mouth agape at Tikki’s statement. But even as the words left her mouth, Tikki tilted her head and smiled at her, the stupidity of what she had just said dawning on her faster than her love for Adrien. “You’re magical… Ladybug is magical… I am an idiot.”

Tikki burst into laughter, “I normally have this conversation when I first meet the new ladybug, not a year into being ladybug. What else could it be?”

“No, no, no! I am so sorry Tikki, I didn’t mean too, I obviously know you’re magical and that I’m magical, well no you make me magical, or at least when I am Ladybug, which is all you and I…”

“Marinette, breathe, please,” Tikki smiled, raising her hands to get her attention.

Marinette took a deep breath, “So other magic,’ the word still sounded weird, “is real? Like Witches?”

Tikki nodded, “Yeah, lots of it is real; fairies and ghosts, witches, sorcerers-you name it, it’s been around at some point or another.”

“What about monsters?”

“Monsters, Marinette?” Tikki’s expression was of confusion.

“Yeah,” she nodded, “Like… well, I don’t know,” she shrugged, “werewolves?” she added finally, raising her hands in confusion.

Tikki paused, clearly hesitant, “Well, they haven’t been around in a while.”

“Seriously?” Marinette all but whispered, she didn’t know whether to be excited or terrified.

Tikki nodded, “But you have nothing to fear Marinette, you’re Ladybug, and Ladybug is adored in those circles.”

“She is? I mean,” she stammered, “I am?”

“Ladybug is life, and most things, whether chaotic or kind, enjoy it. Only the foulest things dislike you, and well, you shouldn’t have to meet any of them.”

Marinette looked at Tikki, the unspoken question clear in her gaze, why?

Tikki sighed, “Because other Ladybugs beat them, all of them, a long time ago.”

“I guess I have it easy,” Marinette muttered, suddenly feeling very sheepish and just a little guilty.

“Well, everyone is different, the world is different. I remember, another Ladybug, about a century after Joan was alive, she really struggled to work with Chat Noir.”

“Why? Did she dislike him?” Marinette inquired curiously.

“Not at all! In fact, she adored his company, which was the problem,” Tikki giggled. “She couldn’t function around him she was such a mess; you think you’re bad with Adrien.”

“But I am a klutz!” Marinette retorted, surprised to hear such a statement from her own mouth.

“Marinette, why do you think I am so helpful with Adrien? This isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with a Ladybug who cannot handle her crush.”

“I guess her Chat made less lame jokes,” Marinette deadpanned.

Tikki rolled her eyes, “They struggled for a long time, but it worked out, anyway, that isn’t the point. My point is, we all have different experiences, no other Ladybug has ever had to balance school like you do, and that isn’t easy. “

Marinette remained silent for several minutes, absorbing all of the info Tikki had just gushed into her brain. Magic was real, well of course Magic was real! she internally complained, she owned magic earrings! She shook her head, that still sounded weird, so very weird. But monsters? That just seemed so different, did that mean Dragons were real? Surely people would have seen them? What about Vampires? She really hoped zombies were a myth, she hated Zombies!

“I just,” she began slowly, shaking her head in bewilderment, not really sure what she was supposed to say, “I never expected this, you know? And why tell me now? Why not tell me the day we met?”

Tikki smiled, “Marinette, you were so overwhelmed with the news that you were a superhero, how could I ever say to you that monsters were real as well? I think you would have fainted!” A moment’s silence followed as Marinette internally accepted the point, nodding lightly along with it.

“Plus,” Tikki continued slowly, “Most Ladybugs don’t have to deal with all of that until they are older, it isn’t normally a priority. At least, not anymore.”

“Because they beat all of the bad monsters, I presume?” Marinette added aloud.

Tikki nodded, “Yeah, they beat them. But when we do have to act against them, it is normally on Halloween.”

Marinette’s eyes widened, “Today? Why?”

Tikki shrugged lightly, “Mainly because there is more magic in the air on Halloween. It is easier to do, well, anything, but also because they can walk around in public.”

“Because of the costumes?” Marinette began slowly, raising the hem of her robe as she spoke.

“Exactly.”

“Okay, well then, what does Ladybug have to do today, then?”

“You don’t have to…” Tikki began, but Marinette cut her off.

“No Tikki, I want to. I am Ladybug, so I should do my duty now.” Marinette nodded as she spoke, attempting to reassure herself. “I guess I should cancel on Alya and Nino?” she added, her tone quieter and dripping with sadness.

“Well, I don’t think we will be that busy, maybe just a little late?” Tikki reassured Marinette, floating up to her friend and smiling, “So you can still see Adrien!”

Marinette giggled, “Tikki shush,” she covered her mouth as her grin broadened.

“Never!” Tikki continued, grinning as the pair burst into loud, joyful laughter.

“So… so.. So what do I have to do?” Marinette managed between her laughter.

“With any luck, nothing; so let me explain, on Halloween Ladybug can use a little bit of other magic, mainly the Pagan magic.”

“Like what?”

“Well, you know all those old Halloween traditions?”

“… No…” Marinette admitted sheepishly.

“Well, they say you can see your future husband on Halloween night, wish for good fortune and a lot of other things. The Pagan’s were either very vague or incredibly specific; Plagg remembers more than I do. Anyway, Ladybug is basically around in case something goes wrong, a spirit won’t leave or is lost, sometimes you can meet other… creatures, and they are not all monsters.” Tikki added quickly. “So you may not have to do anything.”

The latter half of Tikki’s conversation was lost on Marinette, the word Husband, rolling around in her head instead.

“Sooooo,” she began, considering her words carefully, “how do I go about… seeing Adrien, I mean. m-my husband!” she stammered, “I mean, how do I go about seeing Adrien as my husband? Oh, damn it!” even as she finished speaking Marinette shook her head, you’re a klutz, she internally complained, the embarrassment of her words seeping into her, and Tikki said she had known someone worse with boys then her? Impossible!

Tikki couldn’t help but smile, its glow as warm as ever. “Well, Marinette, I don’t know who will come up, but I can show you how to do it. It’s a little different from what the traditions say, but that’s because I remember it, you know how History is, it gets a little muddled sometimes.”

Tikki’s confirmation pulled Marinette out of her internal monologue and caused her to squeal in delight! Her feet tapping the floor rapidly in anticipation, she was going to see Adrien! See him as her future husband!

Marinette gave a sigh as she stood on her rooftop, frosted air emerging from her lips as she did so, the cold autumn creating goosebumps on her arms the longer she stood outside. The sky was clear and the moon dim, being past its full stage over a week ago. Tikki had explained everything on the rooftop, and getting the pieces needed hadn’t been difficult at all. Candles, easy, a basin of clear water, downstairs, string, she owned plenty, the only difficult object had been a fresh apple, but a quick journey as Ladybug had quickly acquired one from the many shops of Paris now geared towards the magical night. They were rather perplexed to see Ladybug wander in and buy an apple, but in her excitement Marinette had just zipped in and out, she was sure Alya would have a hundred theories as to why Ladybug wanted an apple, and a red one at that. Smiling at the thought, Marinette twisted the apple in her hand and hefted it before her sky filled eyes, its crimson sheen glistening faintly in the candle light.

“So, Tikki,” she began slowly, “can you go through this with me, again, please?”

Tikki floated up beside Marinette and nodded a half-eaten cookie in her hand, “Of course Marinette! Okay, so you have the candles, the apple, the string, the basin, and the water?”

“Yep, I have all of that,” she tilted the apple as she spoke and indicated the basin, candles and string with a tilt of her head; the materials sitting on the edge of her rooftop, candles lit either side of the basin.

“Don’t I have to be transformed for this to work since you know, Magic?” Marinette added curiously.

Tikki shook her head, “Nope, you’re Ladybug, with or without the mask, plus, masks on Halloween are normally to hide who’re from spirits, you’re not trying to hide here.”

Marinette admitted didn’t know if she would rather be Ladybug for this or not, but she trusted Tikki. “Okay, so, the candles stay lit, no matter what.”

“Yes,” Tikki responded, nibbling from her cookie as she floated besides her.

“The thread?”

“You tie it around… your ring finger and… let the thread hang.” Tikki answered between mouthfuls of cookie.

Marinette tied the string around her ring finger, Tikki offering a hand to make it that much easier.

“You bite into the apple,” Tikki continued, anticipating Marinette’s questions. “and then you place it in the basin. That’s when the magic starts. You keep both hands either side of the basin, no matter what happens, okay?”

“Why?” Marinette whispered, feeling suddenly uneasy.

“Because it breaks the spell. Anyway, the apple will vanish if it works properly, and after a few moments, an image will appear in the water looking over your shoulder. That is your husband. You may also feel the string move.” Tikki added innocently.

“What? Why?”

“They say that when you see an image of your future husband, he holds the other end of the string. Don’t worry, he doesn’t actually appear here, he is just an image.”

Marinette considered the possibilities for a moment, a rather depressing thought crossing her mind, “Tikki,” she whispered, “What if I don’t see anyone?”

“Oh Marinette, don’t you worry! If no one appears, it means your fate is unmade. It is yours to do with as you please, so you can still go after Adrien.” Tikki reassured her, grinning broadly and flying next to her shoulder to place a hand on it. “So don’t be silly and worry. It will be fine.”

Marinette smiled, “Thanks, Tikki. Thank you for showing me how to do this.”

Tikki shrugged, “It’s nothing Marinette. Like I said, I remember how it works, and traditions got changed a little bit as time went on by. So it isn’t like you could Google this like everything else.”

Marinette chuckled, “Too true, Tikki. So are you going to stay nearby?”

“No, I will sit over there,” Tikki pointed to the other side of the roof where Marinette’s chair stood, “If anyone else appears in the reflection, the spell is broken and you can only do this spell once a year. To ask more than once is to imply you did not agree with the first answer.”

“Even if the spell didn’t work?” Marinette wondered aloud.

“Even if it doesn’t work, yes.” Tikki nodded.

“Okay, let’s do this!” a smirk broke Marinette’s lips, her excitement overcoming the nerves that were attempting to take a hold. Turning back to the basin, Marinette adjusted the candles either side of the black basin before checking that the water was still clear of any dirt or debri, she had already had to remove a leaf from it when they had first gotten to the roof. Breathing deliberately slowly, Marinette checked the thread on her finger was tight and that the excess was not knotted. This was it, she was going to see her husband. She took a deep breath of the cold night air and reached for the apple.

It was smooth and pristine, cool to the touch from the chilly night air. it was almost a shame to bite into it, but she closed her eyes and did so anyway. It’s sweet, seductive taste was more than Marinette had anticipated. It took a mental note to stop her taking a second bite and ruining the spell from the beginning. Swallowing the piece Marinette opened her eyes and smiled, Tikki then said to place it in the basin and spin it. She did just that, minding to make as few a ripple as possible.

For a moment nothing happened. The apple simply span and bobbed in the water, and Marinette panicked. Before the thought could even settle as lightly as freshly fallen snow, the apple dissolved, skin and all, turning the water crimson and sending it into a swirling whirlpool of energy, it even glowed in its own baleful red light.

Marinette swallowed as the water surged within the bowl, Tikki’s warning echoing in her mind. If she broke away, the spell would fail. She would have to wait another year and that would drive her insane. But she couldn’t say she felt comfortable. This felt so different from Tikki. It felt chaotic, old and volatile. She was disturbing something ancient, a tomb of something forgotten in the modern world.

The ripples intensified and light from the basin cast her face and the rooftop in a fiery glow. Even the cold night air vanished, banished as it were by the crimson light. She could see nothing in the water as it rippled, but before it had even begun to settle, slowly as it was, Marinette felt the edge of the thread move; move as if it were picked up by another hand. It even felt like there was another person behind her, the slight movement of the air and the shifting of stone under shoe. It was working! Her fear and surprise were gone, banished by excitement; Marinette stared down at the water, knowing she could not see her husband behind her, only in the water.

As the water began to settle, its baleful light began to fade along with its crimson hue, clarity returned steadily. Someone was behind her; she could see his outline, tall, broad, yes, definitely broad. His hair was messy, but she couldn’t make out its colour, the water was still too red. Was it brown? Yes? NO! Blonde! It was blonde. She internally screamed. Brilliant blonde! And his eyes? She cast her own gaze down, the water was regaining its true state slowly. Parts of the basin were clear already, some still remained as crimson as blood. They were bright, that was sure, she could see them even in the dark waters. But what colour?

She tilted her head and adjusted her gaze, desperately trying to make out the image that simply refused to settle. She mouthed the word silently. Green, they were green! As green as emeralds and twice as precious. Oh lord, it is Adrien! A smile cracking her lips, Marinette suppressed the urge to scream in delight, but instead focussed on the face that was slowly materialising before her eyes. Blonde hair and green eyes, it just had to be Adr.. was that a mask? It was! A black one, no, it couldn’t be.

“Chat?” she whispered quietly, stunned beyond all reason, she barely noticed the hard tug of the thread about her finger.

“Princess, what are you doing?” the reflection whispered, lifting the edge of the string and tugging it lightly, “Are you a witch?” he half chuckled, a grin growing across his face.

Marinette’s eyes widened, as the warm touch of hot breath grazed her ear. They weren’t supposed to warm, or talk, Tikki didn’t say they would talk! She whirled around, the crimson light vanishing in an instant and the candles extinguishing in a gush of cold air, She had removed her hands. But sure enough there stood Chat Noir, right beside her, almost intimately so, emerald eyes and all! He was actually here! Which meant…he had ruined it, the ritual. “Damn it, Chat!” she exclaimed before she could stop herself. “Why are you even here?” she snapped, unsure whether to she was angry or sad.

Chat took a step back, taken aback by the ferocity of her words, “I was nearby and I saw red light, so I investigated. I was worried something was happening to you, Marinette,” he responded sincerely, his tone quitter than normal, “But when I saw you were fine,” he shrugged innocently, “I stuck around to see what you were doing.”

“And the string? You were pulling on it!” Marinette retorted, her anger fading quickly. Chat didn’t know, he couldn’t have known.

“Marinette,” Chat began, a grin growing across his face, “I’m a cat, we play with string.”

Marinette couldn’t help but smile, god damn it Chat, always with the puns. She hated it, but it worked, her bitterness washed away in an instant. He was just checking up on her, which isn’t a surprise. Bright red light on Halloween night that would attract anyone’s attention. “I’m sorry, Chat,” she began rather sheepishly, “You startled me, I wasn’t expecting to see you… well, at all, never mind in the reflection…” she trailed off.

“Marinette, are you a witch?” Chat asked suddenly, his emerald eyes glancing up and down Marinette as he spoke.

“Wha… what? No! What would make you say that?” Marinette stammered, taking a step back.

“Well, that’s the whole; see your future husband thing right? and well, bright red light, swirling pool of water, that isn’t exactly normal.” Chat placed his hands together as he spoke and indicated Marinette, “That’s pretty spooky, even for me.”

Marinette’s mouth dropped, so he had seen everything, crap. “Well,” she began slowly, internally hoping that Tikki had moved from her place on the chair behind her and to somewhere more… well, not in Chat’s sight. “I just did it, you know… and well, it happened you know… like whoosh,” she raised her hands up in a dramatic exaggeration, “magic and, it was all a little scary and I, well, you get kind of used to weird things, with Akuma’s and Ladybug… and Black cats who live on your roof.” She added pointedly, this was all such a mess!

Chat Noir chuckled at that, “Well, Princess, I cannot argue with that. Maybe it is because it’s Halloween? I don’t know, but you’re okay, and that is what matters.”

“Well, another year to try again, I guess.” Marinette admitted, looking at the basin of water that sat still and plain on her rooftop’s edge. “You being in the reflection breaks the spell… or so they say.”

“Don’t worry Marinette, while I am sure Chat Noir must be quite a choice of husband, I am forever in love with my Ladybug and I will be no one’s husband but hers, regardless of what some spell says,” he smiled as he spoke, strolling across the roof and to its opposite end. “Well Marinette, have a good evening and don’t go speaking to any ghosts. I hear it’s bad luck, and trust me, I know bad luck.” With that, Chat noir drew his baton and leapt from the rooftop, vanishing like a spectre into the night.

“You silly Cat…” Marinette paused, her jaw dropping as a realisation hit her, I am forever in love with my Ladybug, and I will be no one’s husband but hers. Did that mean what she saw was right? Even though Chat turned up? At what point did he even turn up? Blonde hair and green eyes, that was all she had to go with… and they both had them.

“TIKKI!” Marinette exclaimed, running to find her Kwami and some hope of an answer, Chat just couldn’t be her future husband!

**Author's Note:**

> This work was produced as part of a Project Miraculous Ladybug effort. In addition, we would like to thank the following beta readers for making the fic possible: @KasumiAFKGod


End file.
